Hydraulic placer machine



J. R. ccguLTEl` ILIYDRAULIC` PLACER MACHINE Filed Aug. 31, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mvENToR j ATTO R N EYS WITNESS l Jan, 3l, 1939. J. R. COULTER HYDRAULIC PLACER MACHINE I Filed Ag. '51, 19:57 2 SheBtS-Shee't 2 l INVENTOR ATTORN EYS wrmsss y l Patented Jan. 31, 1939 PATENT OFFICE HYDRAULIC PLACER MACHINE J ohn Robert Coulter, Yakima, Wash.

Application August 31,

7 Claims.

vlThe invention relates to a placer machine or apparatusl and more particularly to a hydraulic Vplacer machine.

@The principal purpose of. the invention is. to Vprovide ameans. of sinking a barrel or cylinder atQafcontrolled pressure of lwater to bed rock in anew andY novel manner, combining a suction arrangement for recovering of classified materals andxvalues on or concentrated near such bed rock l0; in; placer deposits,v the machine being provided y v'c'hineimaythen be lifted out of said placer ground andset into a clean-up tank or sluice box, openl5.ingf lowervalve body and machine flushed out. This machine being of a novel construction and operation, thus classifying precious mineral v materials in place.y Another purpose of the invention is the pro- -20 vision of `a machine of this character, wherein t they same when in operation will enable through the directv action of water and gravity the recov- 'ering of gold, platinum and other precious metals notwithstanding the fact that the alluvial deposits containing recoverable precious metalhave notrsuiiicient gradefor face to permit their classillcationby direct action of sluicing, the machine Y operating throughwaterunder pressure for digging. in a,v placerarea or a rock bed and as a 30v bailer for' the raising or lifting of concentrates thus.: eliminating muchr of the expense and labor as fcompared to the use of dredges of all types, dragv line operations, power shovel and truck operations generally employedto elevate such materialssothat they may be classified according to their specific gravities and recovered by means Vof.y sluicing.' Incidentally this machine concentrates heavier particles within such materials andat .the same time enabling theclassifying of 4.0; suchmaterials in place.

` further purpose of the invention is the'provision of a machine of this character, wherein direct treatment of spoil from auriferous beds or banks beneathwater can be had for theseparaf tion and. concentration of such spoil for the recovery of precious metals and the classification of thefsame.

:Austill further purpose of the invention is the provision of a machine of this character, which 50- isf simple in its construction, thoroughly reliable andeflicacious in operation, readily and easily handled, minimizing labor and expense in the working-thereof, strongrdurable, and inexpensive 15d-manufacture and install..

.am i

ist.

193-7, Serial No. 161,849

invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose the preferred embodiment of the invention and '5 pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is an elevation of a machine 'constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view thereof.

`Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of` Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a bottom end view.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in K the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the machine constituting the present invention comprisesa tubular barrel or cylinder IIl of' a desired sectional length and of desired diameter in conformity to the requirement thereof having a head or top lcap II provided with an internally threaded annular rim I2 in screw threaded engagement exteriorly with the upper end of the` saidV barrel or cylinder for the closing thereof while tted in the bottom or lower end of the latter is a base ring I3 having the reduced inner end I4 telescopically fitting Within the said barrel or cylinder and made secure in any suitable manner. This base ring I3 at itsouter end has studded peripherally thereof feet protuberances I5, these being uniformly spaced from each other and are for a purpose presently described. l

The ring is formed with an internal annular shoulder I6 intermediate of the outer and inner ends thereof concentric to its center opening I1 while above the shoulder I6 at one side of the opening I 'I are pintle ears I8l carrying a pintle I9 for the hingedly mounting of a trapping valve body 20 provided with a rest lip 20' engageble with the shoulder I6 interiorly of the ring I3 when said body is in lowered position. This body is of outwardly tapered formation and iscreated with a central Venturi opening 2| extending therethrough. The feet protuberances I5 prevent the sealing of the opening 2| when the body `20 makes contact with a rock surface in the use of the machine. y

The pintle I9 has hinged thereto a latching 50 valve 22 which is adapted for engagement with a seat 23 formed on the body 20 concentrically about the opening 2|, this body being provided withya. spring pressed latch 24 for engaging the valve-222 when upontheseat 2'3 to holdfit-l closed M'.

on the lowering thereof upon the body 2l) while tionally engageable in a keeper notch 26 provided in the hinge side 21 of said valve 22 so that the said valve when in an open position or raised will be frictionally latched in this position and is released for the closing thereof in a manner [presently described.

Working within the cylinder or barrel is a piston 28, its stem 29 being carried through a center guide opening 30 provided in the head or cap il and the outer eye end 3i of this stem is attached at 32 to a raising and lowering cable 33 trained over a guide pulley 34 carried byv a boom or crane 35 of any conventional type, being adjusted by an adjusting cable 36 and is vertically swingable upon a support 31.

Upon the support 31 is a water feed device or pump 38 having a lead 39 connected with and opening into the barrel or cylinder ii! at a point removed from the head or cap HV and intoione side only of this barrel or cylinder, the pump or device 38 being operated in any suitable manner and the water supply thereto is had through a conduit or pipe, a portion being denoted at |30.

In the operation of the machine through the suspension of the stem 2d of the piston 28 within the barrel or cylinder lil from the cable 33 and this suspension raises the piston withinthe barrel or cylinder I0 so that it will be ciear and above the communication of the lead @di with said barrel or cylinder whence water under pressure isforced by the device or pump 38 into the vbarrel or cylinder I6, the valve body 2D being in lowered position with the lip 2G' resting on the shoulder l5 of the base ring i3 and the latch valve 22 in a raised latched position uncovering the opening 2l in said body 2B, the water within the barrel or cylinder IU under pressure owing through the opening 2| and in this manner the said body it becomes a powerful digging nozzle and with the pressure` of the water flow properly applied will permit materials penetrated to classify and concentrate according to their specific gravities. After reaching any point or depth in a placer area through the digging operation hydraulically, the digging may be stopped by shutting off the water pressure and the lowering of the pressure effects the dropping of the piston 28 within the barrel or cylinder l0 and when such piston engages the latch valve 22 in its raised position, the latter will be unlatched and lowered onto the seat 23 thereby assuming a closed position and being latched by the latch 24. Whereupon the valve body 20 becomes a complete valve or trap of approximately the diameter of the barrel or cylinder lil and on raising the piston 28 by the cable 33 within the barrel or cylinder i causes a lling of the latter from surrounding material and water in that such valve body 20 becomes opened and when such barrel or cylinder is lled therewith this valve body 20 on the closing traps such lling whereupon the filling can be manually dispensed therefrom into a sluice box or tank.

In the working of the machine as before seti forth, it effects a hydraulic digging contrivance and through suction a bailing contrivance so that through water under pressure and suction precious metals are concentrated thereby and separated for the recovery of the same from bed rock or in a placer concentrated area in a single operation of the machine.

About the stem 29 at the connection thereof with the piston 28 and contacting with the latter is `a Washer 4l which is adapted to engage in the opening 30 in the head or cap Il on the full raising of the piston 28 in the barrel or cylinder Hl for the closing of said opening 30 and such opening on the upwardmovement of the piston allows the escape of water from the barrel or cylinder therethrough.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the. character described,

a shiftable tubular barrel capped at its upper end, a base ring fitted in the lower end and having spaced feet, an annular flange internally of said ring, a Valve body swingingly fitted within the ring and seated upon the iiange and having a Venturi center opening, a valve inwardly of the rst-mentioned valve body and adapted for closing said opening therein, means latching the second-named valve in closed position, means for latching the second-named valve in open position, a piston working within said barrel and having a suspended stem working through the closed top end of said barrel and active upon the second-named valve when in latched open position for the closing thereof on the lowering of the piston in said barrel, and means for inducing iiuid under pressure into the said barrel.

2. In a machine of the character described, a shiftable tubular barrel capped at its upper end, a base ring fitted in the lower end and having spaced feet, an annular flange internally of said ring, a valve body swingingly fitted within the ring 'and seated upon the flange and having a Venturi center opening, a valve inwardly of the first-mentioned valve body and adapted for closing said opening therein, means latching the second-named valve in closed position, means for latching the second-named valve in open position, a piston working within said barrel and having a suspended stem Working through the closed top end of said barrel and activev upon the second-named valve when in latched open position for the closing thereof on the lowering of the piston in said barrel, means for inducing fiuid under pressure into the said barrel, and means for adjustably suspending the'piston by its stem. Y v

3. In a machine of the character described, a

shiftable tubular barrel capped at its upper end,'

a base ring fitted in the lower end and having spaced feet, an annular flange internally of said ring, a valve body swingingly fitted within theY ring and seated upon the flange and having a Venturi center opening, a valve inwardly ofthe first-mentioned valve body and adapted for closing said opening therein, means latching the second-named valve in closed position, means for latching the second-named valve in open position, a piston working withinsaidbarrel and having a suspended stem working through the closed top end of said barrel and active upon the second-named Valve when in latched open position for the closing thereof on the lowering of the piston in said barrel, means for inducingY fluid under pressure into the said barrel, means for adjustably suspending the piston by its stem, and a swinging crane-carrying said last-named means.

4. In a machine of the character described, a shiftable tubular barrel capped at its'upper end, "a base ring fitted in the lower end and having spaced feet, an annular ange internally of said ring, a valve body swingingly fitted within the ring and seated upon'the flange and having a Venturi center opening, a valve inwardly' of the first-mentioned valve body-and adapted for lclosing said opening therein, means latch- CIV ing the second-named valve in closed position,r

means for latching the second-named valve in open position, a piston working within said barrel and having a suspended stem working through the closed top end of said barrel and active k, upon the second-named valve when in latched open position for the Vclosing thereof on the 10W- ering of the piston in said barrel, means for inducing fluid under pressure into the said barrel; means for adjustably suspending the piston by its stema swinging crane carrying said lastnamed means, and a pump for regulating the fluid pressure.

5. In a machine of the character described, a shiftable tubular barrel, a piston working within the barrel and having a stem for suspending the said piston and barrel when tted with said piston, a perforated valve arranged within the barrel at its lowermost end and swingably supported, a valve coacting with the first-named valve for closing its perforation when in one position, and means for latching the last-named valve inl an open position with respect to the rst-named valve and releasing the last-named valve when acted upon by thepiston.

' 6. In a machine of the character described, a shiftable tubular barrel, a piston working witho in the barrel and having a stem for suspending the said piston and barrel when fitted with said piston, a perforated valve arranged within the barrel at its lowermost end and swingably supported, a valve coacting with the first-named valve for closing its perforation when in one position, means for latching the last-named Valve in an open position with respect to the firstnamed valve and releasing the last-named valve when acted upon by the piston, and means for latching the last-named valve in position for closing the perforation in the first-named valve.

7. In a machine of the character described, a shiftable tubular barrel, a piston working within the barrel and having a stem for suspending the said piston and barrel when fitted with said piston, a perforated valve arranged within the barrel at its lowerrnost end and swngably supported, a valve coacting with the first-named valve for closing its perforation when in one position, means for latching the last-named valve in an open position with respect to the firstnamed valve and releasing the last-named valve when acted upon by the piston, means for latching the last-named valve in position for closing the perforation in the first-named valve, and a seat associated with the barrel for the firstnamed valve.

JOHN ROBERT COULTER. 

